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An operational approach to the execution of MR examinations in patients with CIED

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Abstract

In the context of the increasing spread of cardiac active implantable heart devices (CIEDs) in the population and of the wide diagnostic/therapeutic utility of magnetic resonance (MRI) examinations, the goal of this paper is to provide the experience of the Santa Maria Nuova Hospital of the USL Tuscany Center in Florence and to report an organizational proposal to perform, in the hospital settings, MRI examinations on patients carrying CIED. This report is intended to show the operational choices of a Radiology Department which organizes this activity in accordance with the new Italian regulatory framework in the field of safety of MR sites (Ministero della Salute in Decreto Ministeriale 10 agosto 2018 Determinazione degli standard di sicurezza e impiego per le apparecchiature a risonanza magnetica, 2018).

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Abbreviations

MedR:

Radiologist, responsible for the MRI examination

MedC:

Cardiologist, expert in electrophysiology

CIED:

Cardiac implantable electronic device

MRSE/MP:

MR safety expert/medical physicist

MR:

Magnetic resonance

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

PM:

Pacemaker

ICD:

Implantable cardiac defibrillator

SAR:

Specific absorption rate

RF:

Radiofrequency

TSRM:

Health technicians of medical radiology

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Correspondence to Laura Guerrini.

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Guerrini, L., Mazzocchi, S., Giomi, A. et al. An operational approach to the execution of MR examinations in patients with CIED. Radiol med 125, 1311–1321 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-020-01206-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-020-01206-x

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